Washing apparatus or the like.



Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. L. HATFIELD.

WASHING APPARATUS 0R THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 191e.v

Patented Deo. 12, 1916 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS ANDREW L. HATFIELD, OF HILLSIDE, NEW JERSEY.

WASHING- AAPPl-LB'AJJJS 0R THE LIKE.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 5, 1916, Serial No. 76,255.

-the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to. characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to improvementsin` washing machines; and, the invention relates, more pariticularly, to a novel construction of machine for automatically washing clothes and simi' lar articles and fabrics withoutnecessity of employing manual labor.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of apparatus by means of which soil andy is to provide an automatic washing apparatus in which the soiled clothes or other fabrics are placed and submerged in water, a novel means being provided in said apparatus for agitating the clthes and water by air to carry the latter, together with a suitable cleansing agent such as soap, into intimate and dirt freeing 'contact with the former. y,

Other objects of the present invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the present invention.

With the various objects of my present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction of washing apparatus hereinafter set forth; and the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, all of which will be more fully `described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the claims which are appended to andwhich form an essential part of said specification. I

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :e

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the novel washing apparatus made according to and embodyingthe principles of my present invention. tudinal cross'section of the saine, taken on line 2-2 in said Fig. 1,7looking downward. Fig. `3 is a detailed vertical longitudinal section of a two-way valve employed as a part of the novel construction of washing apparatus.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a Suitable standard or supporting frame-work upon which my novel washing apparatus is carried. Securedto and supported upon said standard or `frame-work 1 `is a tank or tub 2, the upper open end of which is closed, when in use, by a suitable cover-member 3. If desired said tank or tub 2 may be provided with a water inlet-pipe 4, suitably connected therewith, said inlet-pipe 4 being in communication with the water supply mains, but where the apparatus is to be used in places having no water supply or plumbing connections, said inlet-pipe 4 may be omitted, the tank or tub 2 being in such cases filled by hand, as will be understood. Connected with the bottomI 5 of said tank or tub 2 is a water outlet or drain pipe 6 for emptying the same, and if desired such outlet or drain pipev 6 may be provided with the closing valve 7, or an ordinary stopper may be used to close the same against the passage of the water from the tank or tub 2. It will also be understood that said outlet or drain pipe 6 may be connected directly with a soil-pipe of a plumbing system where such 'plumbing is present.

rllhe reference character 8 indicates a horizontal shelf or platform located beneath said tank or tub 2 and suitably supported by being properly connected with said standard or supporting frame-work 1. Located suitably upon said shelf or platform 8 is a pump mechanism 9 `of any desirable construction, (the kind of pump illustrated in the drawings being of the centrifugal or rotary type,

Patented Dec. i12, 1916.,

Fig. 2 is a longi-v being closed by a cap 15 or otherwise. Conalthough I ,do not desire to limit myself to such type, since many other types of pump construction are both available and possible of use in connection with my novel washing apparatus). Also supported upon said shelf or platform 8 is an electric 'motor 10,\or

`other prime mover or power element, the

nected with the lower end-of said stand pipe 14 and in communication therewith is a laterally extending header-pipe 16, the same being disposed so as to rest upon supporting blocks 17 on the bottom or floor of said tank or tub 2 and within the same. Supportedin like manner upon the opposite side of the bottom or fioor of said tank or tub 2 L is another laterally extending header pipe 18. Each header pipe 16 and 18 is Aprovided with a plurality of transversely projecting coupling-necks 19 to opposite units of which are connected transverse air discharge pipes 20 provided in their upper sides with a plurality of spaced discharge perforations or small air outlets 21. and 18 with the vinterconnecting air discharge pipes 20 provide an air discharge means which substantially covers the entire area of the bottom or ioor of said tank or tub 2, and the purposes or operation of which will be subsequently described. Extending upwardly and -telescopically through the interior-of said stand-pipe 14 is an air delivery pipe 22 which terminates short of the closed upper end of said stand pipe but above the'water-line of the interior of said tank or tub 2. Said air delivery pipe 22 is of smaller diameter than the interior diameter of said stand-pipe so that an air passage 23 is provided between said air delivery pipe 22 and the interior sides of said stand pipe 14 which leads into said header pipe 16. Connected with ,the lower end of said air delivery pipe 22 is an air esupply pipe 24,' and the exterior lower` end of said stand-pipe 14 is coupled mechanically by asuitable coupling device 25 with said air supply pipe 24, but said lower end of said stand-pipe does not communicateI with said air supplypipe 24 except by means of land through said air delivery pipe v22 which alone communicates directly with said air supply pipe 24. Said air supply pipe 24 is connected with the discharge end 26 of said pump mechanism 9, and connected in Said header pipes 16 a the line of said air supply pipe. so as to form a part of the conduit thereof is a heating `coil 27, the purpose of'which willbe presently disclosed. Said heating coil is preferably inclosed in a casing 28 having at its upper end-Ventilating openings29. Supported yupon said shelf or platform 8 beneath said heatingl coil 27 and within said casing 28 is a heating unit 30, such as a` gas or other burner, byrmeans of which heat may be applied to said coil 27.

Connected with the intake end 31 of said pump mechanism 9,is an air pipe 32, the

same extending upwardly at one side of said tank or tulo 2, and preferably Vvexteriorly thereof, the-intake Vend 33 of said'air pipe 32 extending through the side wall of said tank ortub 2 so as to communicate with'the interior of the latterabove the water line thereof. Connected in the line of said air pipe 32 is a two-way valve 34 having a vertica-lly disposed air inlet passage 35 and an opposite outlet passage 36 both `of which communicate with the conduit formed by said air pipe. Said two-way valve is additionally provided with a laterally extending which extends through the bottom 5 of said tank or tub 2, so as to communicate with the interior thereof and receive water therefrom. The rotary valve element 40 of said water inlet passage 37, with which commu` nicates a water pipe 38, the intake end 39 of the drawings, when said diametric Valve passage 4l stands vertically it affords an uninterrupted passagevthrough the air pipe 32 the body of said valve element closing saidwater inlet passage 37 but when said valve element 40 is given a quarter turn to the right, by means ofthe exterior hand-lever 43, one end of said water inlet passage 37' and said branch valve passage 42 is registered with, said outlet passage 36 of the valve, the body of said valveelement closing said air inlet passage 35,'consequently water from the tank or tub 2 is fed to said pump mechanism 9 and is then discharged again into said tank or tub 2 through the air discharge pipes above described, for purposes subsequently to be set forth." A

Having thus described \the mechanical construction of my novel washing apparatus, I will now describe the manner of its use and its operation when in use.

First the tank or tub 2 is supplied with water, preferably hot water, the same filling the interiorthereof to within ashort distance of the vtop,-leaving,.however, an airspace 44 above the water level.

frame 45 composed of spaced slats is pref- A' wooden l erably placed in the bottom` of the tank or tub 2 so as to extend over said air discharge pipes v2O. The dirty and soiled clothes or other fabrics 46 are placed in the water contained'in the tank or tub`2 and are prevented from contacting with said air discharge pipe 20 by said wooden frame 45. Since the outlet of the air delivery pipe 22 i'sabove the water-line it will be apparent that no water can get into the air circulatory system through such delivery pipe 22. A proper quantity of soap is placed in the water, liquid soap being a very good form of soap for introduction therein. The covermember 3 of the tank or tub 2 is then fastened down over the top of the latter, aftera wooden frame 47, composed of spaced slats, has been placed on' rthe sur.- face of the water to prevent theclothes or fabrics 46 from ridingout of the water into said air-space 44. The two-way valve 34 is so set as to close the water pipe 38, and open communication through the air pipe 32 between the air-space 44 of the tank or tub 2- and the pump-mechanism 9. The pump mechanism 9 is now placed in operation, and the same draws air from the airspace 44, and sends the same through the air supply pipe 24 and air delivery pipe 22 down through the stand-pipe 1 4 and into the air discharge pipes 20, whence it is discharged into the water at the bottom of the tank or tub 2 through the small air outlets 21. The air upon being thus discharged into the water, rises therein in streams of air bubbles, which not only agitate the.

water and the clothes or fabrics 46 therein, but tend to work through the texture of the clothes'or fabrics until they reach the surface vof the water and break out into the air space 44. This agitation of the water and the clothes therein causes the soap 1 content of the water to be carried to the surface, whereupon the agitation of the surface water and soapy content produces a steadily augmented suds 48 which forms and piles up on the surface of the water and substantially fills the air space 44. This suds 4S is carried into the air pipe 32 so that the air passage to and through the above described circulatory system of pipes has admixed therewith a soapy moisture, which is in turn discharged from the small air outlets 21 forming additional streams of rising air bubbles carrying with them a soapy film, which is worked into and through the texture of the clothes or fabrics 46 by the rising air bubbles with dirt liberating effect. f

The above described operation may be continued until the clothes or fabrics 46 are entirely freed from dirt and soil, such relsults being quickly obtained and in such a manner that the texture of the most delicate fabrics is not in the least injured, as would be most likely where mechanically ers are used.

After the washing operations have been completed as above described, the dirtyv water may be removed from the tank or tub 2, and clean hot water introduced` therein.

Thereupon thejtwo-way valve 34 is turned to shut off lthe air-pipe 32 above the same and connect with the circulating pipe system the water-pipe 38 so that the pumpmechanism 9 will pump water from the tank or tub 2 and discharge the same through the air discharge pipes 20, thus forcing the same up through the clothes in order to rinse the same, this circulation of the water being ycontinued until the clothes are thoroughly rinsed. the rinsing water thus circulated hot, the heating unit 30 beneath the heating coil 27 is ignited so that the water as delivered from the pump-mechanism 9 will be` reheated while passing through the heating-coil. lit

.may be also mentioned that bluing may be introduced into the rinsing water if desired.

The rinsing water may be drained from the tank or tub 2, and the same-left empty of water, and then the air circulation intro- If it is desired to keep duced again with drying effect upon the clothes, and if desired the drying air may be heated as it passes through the heatingcoil27 by igniting the heating unit 30.

It will be understood that l do not limit myself to vthe exact construction andarrangement of the air discharge pipes 20 as shown vin the drawings, since the same may be formed in a flat Aspiral coil or in any other form Aproviding'a substantial area of discharge points.

l am also aware that some changes may be made 1n the general' arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts l. A washing apparatus, comprising a Coy-- ered tank, an, air discharge means at the bottom of said tank, a circulating supply pipe, a pump mechanism connected in the line of said supply pipe, the intake end of said supply pipe communicating with the upper end of the interior of said tank, and the outlet end of'said supply pipe communil cating with said air dischargel means, a waon the intake side of said pump mechanism,

ter pipe connected with said supply pipe the intake end of said water pipe communil cating with the lower end of said tank, and

a two-way valve located at the juncture of said water pipe with said supply pipe.

2. A washing apparatus, comprising a tank, a standpipe extending upwardly through said tank to a point above the normal water level of the tank, said stand-pipe being closed at its upper end, discharge piping connected with and communicating with the lower end of said stand-pipe, said discharge piping being submerged in and supported upon the bottom of said tank and provided with a multiplicity of upwardly directed spaced openings distributed coextensively with the area of said tank-bottom, a delivery pipe of smaller diameter extend- Aing upwardly through said stand-pipe its open. upper end terminating short of the closed upper end of said stand-pipe but above the normal water level of the tank, a

.downwardly extending passagebeing pro-r vided by said stand-pipe between itswalls and the exterior of said delivery pipe, and means connected with the lower end of said delivery pipe for supplying a stream of air thereto and thence through said stand-pipe to said discharge piping.

3. A 'washing apparatus, comprising a.

tank, a stand-pipe extending upwardly through said tank to a point above the no-rmal water level ofthe tank, said stand-pipe being closed at its upper end, discharge piping connected with and co-mmunicating` with the lower end of said stand-pipe, said discharge piping being submerged in and supported upon the bottom 'of said tank and provided with a multiplicity of upwardlydirected spaced openings distributed coextensively with the area. of said tank-bottom, a delivery pipe of smaller diameter extending upwardly through said" stand-pipe its open upper end terminating short of the closed upper end of said stand-pipefbut above the normal water level of the tank, a downwardly extending passage being provided by said stand-pipe between its walls and the exterior of said delivery pipe, a circulating supply pipe, a pump mechanism connected in the line 'of said supply pipe, means for driving said pump mechanism, the intake end of said supply pipe communicating with the upper end of the interior of said tank, the outlet end of said supply pipe communicating with the lowery end of said delivery pipe, a heating-coil connected in the line of said supply pipe on the outlet side of said pumpmechanism, a heating-unit mounted beneath said heating-coil, a. Water pipe connected with said supply pipe onmthe intake side of saidv pump mechanism, the intake end vof said water pipe communicating with the lower end of said tank, a two-way valve located at the juncture of said water pipe with said supply pipe, and a cover-member for closing the open upper end of said tank. 4. A washing apparatus, comprising a tank, a stand-pipe extending upwardly header-pipe transversely opposite said lirst l' mentioned header-pipe, -a plurality of transversely extending discharge pipes communicating at their opposite ends with said respective header-pipes, said discharge pipes each having a plurality of small upwardly rdirected outlets or discharge openings, a delivery pipel of smaller diameter extending upwardly through said stand-pipe its open upper'end terminating short of the closed upper end of said stand-pipe butabove the normal water level of the tank, a downwardly extending passage being provided by said stand-pipe between its walls and the exterior of said'delivery pipe, a circulating supply pipe, a pump mechanism connected in the line of said supply pipe, means for driving said pump mechanism, the intake end of said supply pipe communicating with the upper end of the interior of said tank, ythe outlet end of said `supply pipe communicating with the lower end of said delivery pipe, a heating-coil connected in the line of said supply pipe on the outlet side of said pump-mechanism, a heating-unit a, mounted beneath said heating-coil, a water pipe connected with said supply pipe on the intake side of said pump mechanism, the intake end of said water pipe communicating with the lower end of said tank, a two-way valve located at the juncture of said water pipe with said supply pipe, and a covermember for closing the open upper end of said tank.

In testimony, that I claim the invention ANDREW L. HATFlELD.

Witnesses: I

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, FREDK H. W. FRAENTZEL.

ico 

